A silent chain typically comprises link plates each having a pair of pin holes and a pair of teeth. The link plates are disposed in interleaved widthwise rows along the length of the chain, and the rows are flexibly connected to one another by connecting pins extending through the pin holes, whereby the link plates of each row are pivotable relative to the link plates of an adjacent row interleaved therewith. The plates can be interleaved individually or in groups, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,835 and United States patent publication 2006/0105872.
It is also known to provide a silent chain with springs incorporated between link plates arranged in the chain width direction as described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2000-304105.
As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, a silent chain 71 is formed such that a number of link plates, each having a pair of pin holes and a pair of teeth, are disposed in interleaved relationship in the longitudinal direction of the chain and flexibly connected to by connecting pins 75. The surfaces of the link plates 72 overlap at the locations of the connecting pins 75, and the overlapping portions of the plate surfaces, indicated by the hatched areas in FIG. 18 becomes flat sliding contact surface areas 72a. 
In the conventional silent chain, the sliding contact surfaces are relatively large, and there is a relatively large frictional resistance as the chain bends during use. When the adjacent link plates are relatively pivoted using the connecting pin as the central bending axis of the chain, since the contact area changes as the interleaved rows of link plates pivot relative to each other, the frictional resistance changes. The contact position and the size of the contact area of the link plates also change momentarily due to generation of minute warp and unevenness on the plate surfaces. As a result, the bending resistance due to friction changes and the bending resistance in the silent chain cannot be stabilized. The problem is particularly acute in the case of a silent chain having a spring incorporated between the link plates.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to solve the prior art problems and to provide a silent chain in which frictional resistance on bending of the chain, and bending resistance due to this frictional resistance, can be decreased and at the same time stabilization of the bending resistance can be obtained.